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Kamloops
Only some summer programs affected by strike
KAMLOOPS - While school district summer school programs have been cancelled third party summer programs will not be subject to picketing, according to the local teacher’s union president. “There won’t be any third party picketing… where they just rent the facility,” Jason Karpuk says. “They rent, they do the hiring, the board doesn’t provide any...
New Gold air emission reports ‘significantly overestimated’
KAMLOOPS - New Afton officials say estimates of air pollution emissions from its New Gold mine near Kamloops are wrong—the victim of bad data. If emissions reported to national authorities are accurate, it would make the mine among the top air polluters in the country. Its pollution levels were seized on by the Kamloops Physicians...
Bear spray used in robbery
KAMLOOPS - RCMP were called to Dynasty Garden Restaurant at Tranquille Road and Palm Street around 12:20 p.m. today after a man used bear spray on several workers after demanding money. Police say a male suspect demanded money from an employee and then sprayed multiple workers before fleeing on foot. An ambulance was seen leaving...
Expect a hot Canada Day
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - After a mix of rain and cloud much of the weekend Mother Nature has decided to smile down on Canada Day with a lot of sun and heat. The entire Interior will be drenched in temperatures between 32-35 C on July 1 and then Wednesday will also be around 34 C but neither...
Ajax open houses bring pro and anti under same roof
KAMLOOPS - A series of open houses this week allowed residents to get a closer look at the new footprint of the proposed Ajax Mine. They also gave those for, against and unsure about the project an opportunity to ask questions. Hundreds of people took that opportunity, with an average of about 130 people attending...
Lytton man awaits sentencing for killing friend nearly 15 years ago
KAMLOOPS – After killing his friend, burying his body and keeping it a secret for nearly 13 years, a Lytton man is expected to spend another six to nine years in prison. In 1999, when the two friends were drinking, William Robert Smith, born 1967, beat Sandy Charlie to death in 1999 after hearing he...
Summer programs at risk
KAMLOOPS - Not only are summer school programs at risk due to the ongoing teacher strike action but now summer programs held on school property are also at risk. The B.C. Teacher’s Federation announced this week teachers would picket outside of schools hosting summer school programs if a deal is not reached by June 30....
VIDEO: ‘Our Voice Our Teachers’
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Two independent film makers under the name TNT Creation have joined the political battle in support of teachers this week with a video showcasing why and how Kamloops residents support B.C. teachers. The video, shot over two days, features Timo Sargent in front of the camera and Tim Unaegbu behind it. In a...
Kesler traded to Ducks
VANCOUVER - Everyone expected change after yet another rough season for the Vancouver Canucks and today months of speculation ended with the trade of Ryan Kesler to the Anaheim Ducks. The Canucks picked up centre Nick Bonino, 26, defenceman Luca Sbisa, 24, and the 24 and 85 picks in the 2014 NHL Draft, which begins...
Woman pleads guilty to assaults, shaving heads for her dealer
KAMLOOPS – The lawyer for a woman who kept video footage of herself beating and shaving heads of at least two women, told Kamloops Supreme Court during a sentence hearing his client was acting under the direction of her boss. Mary Lynn Dyson, 30, pleaded guilty last month to charges of assault with a weapon,...
Quebec cheese pulled form B.C. shelves
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A cheese possibly containing a toxin produced by Staphylococcus bacteria has been pulled from the shelves of B.C. retailers this week as a food recall warning is expanded. The original recall was issued on June 20 for Le Moutier Goat Cheese out of Quebec and Thursday the recall was expanded to include the...
STAHN: Doctors brought little clarity to air quality concerns
Are you confused about the fact sheet local doctors released on air quality in Kamloops last week? You're not alone. A group called Kamloops Physicians for a Healthy Environment cobbled together information and data from different sources to ring some alarm bells about air quality and it created plenty of controversy. Their point was Kamloops already...
Summer school will be picketed if no deal reached this week
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The teacher collective agreement will be discussed by both sides at a meeting today but the union president says teachers have agreed to strike through the summer if needed. “Mediation is the only way to bridge the gap between the two sides,” Jim Iker says. “(If no agreement is made) teachers will extend...
UPDATE: Iker won’t attend teacher rally tonight, Sinclair scheduled to speak at event
KAMLOOPS – Jim Sinclair, president of the B.C. Federation of Labour, will address a teacher rally tonight at Riverside Park. Jim Iker, president of the B.C. Teachers' Federation, was expected to attend but due to a bargaining meeting he will not make it in time. Iker and Sinclair have travelled together to speak to teachers...
Two teens suspected of involvement with stolen vehicle, trunk full of guns
KAMLOOPS - The lead investigators of a case involving an erratic driver, several guns, a stolen vehicle and three men running from police have released the identity of one of the suspects in custody. Around 2 p.m. on June 20, police received reports of a white 1998 Dodge Stratus with Alberta plates driving erratically near...
Election 2014: Councillors could be chosen out of a hat
KAMLOOPS - Council members were fighting during Tuesday's meeting as if their seats are already on the line while discussing possible changes to the election bylaw for 2014. And the general election — when eight city councillors and a mayor will be chosen — is still almost five months away. Several changes were recommended by...
Heavy rains and thunder hit Kamloops hard
KAMLOOPS — Heavy rains started to fall on Kamloops around 10 p.m. last night and soon after strong winds and thunder rocked the city. Rain began around 10 p.m. and then lightning litt up the sky as the storm moved over the city. Driving winds and thunder then added to the drama as it swept...
Thieves targeted non-profit 11 times in a month
KAMLOOPS – “Frustrating” and “disheartening” are two words Jan Lingford uses to describe thieves targeting the disadvantaged. The executive director of the Kamloops Habitat for Humanity non-profit says thieves stole from the branch’s supply storage facility 11 times last month. Copper, aluminum, and steel – metals the organization uses to build houses for those who...
Pedestrian hit by motorist treated for minor injuries
KAMLOOPS - A woman was taken to hospital Tuesday afternoon for non-life-threatening injuries after she was hit by a left-turning vehicle. The 30-year-old was hit after crossing the street on 6 Avenue and Lansdowne Street. "It was a fairly minor incident," said RCMP Spokesperson, Cpl. Cheryl Bush. "(The driver) was not travelling very fast." Police...
UPDATE: Bridge upgrades approved
$9.42 M BORROWING BYLAW UP NEXT KAMLOOPS - The entire Overlanders Bridge deck is set to be resurfaced in 2015 and council has agreed to tag on a multi-million dollar attached sidewalk project as well. In January, council agreed to postpone the bridge construction in the hopes of saving funds by completing the two projects...
Driving a van full of pot plants leads to a fine
KAMLOOPS - A two-year court case for a man caught driving a van full of marijuana plants is over once he pays the $2,000 fine handed to him in Kamloops Provincial Court Monday morning. Corey Joseph Eld, 36, was arrested in November 2012 after a routine stop near Barriere revealed he was transporting 73 marijuana...
Stuart Wood will close
KAMLOOPS - The clock is ticking on Stuart Wood Elementary School after the school district agreed unanimously to consolidate Beattie School of Arts students into one building and shutdown the downtown school by September 2016. The issue has been a hot button issue with the public since an enrolment report suggesting the closure was released in...
These wacky pets are looking for homes in Kamloops
KAMLOOPS – Finding a pet to suit your needs can be a detailed search process while getting rid of one could be as simple as posting a Kijiji ad. In the interest of discovering what kind of pets are for sale, or are free for adoption, in Kamloops we snooped around and found a menagerie...
Group continues fight to save Stuart Wood
KAMLOOPS - It may be too little too late but a group of concerned citizens are not giving up their fight to save their downtown school. Denis Walsh, the chair of the Downtown and West End Residents Association, admits they were a bit slow out of the gate but based on previous changes within the...